INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF SPORT CLIMBING SE SPORT CLIMBING OLYMPICS BOUND! On August 2nd-4th, the International Olympic Committee participate as well. The sport is growing in popularity, and (IOC) convened in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, for the 129th IOC many leading athletes hail from Japan, the host nation. At the Session. Today, the IOC Session in Rio officially approved the heart of Sport Climbing is the spirit of the Olympics. addition of Sport Climbing to the Tokyo 2020 Games. “We are honoured to contribute the missing vertical element to the Tokyo 2020 Games, and the IFSC will continue to work with our athletes, National Federations and devoted partners A Long, Hard Climb to promote Sport Climbing around the world so that it is “We are so happy that Sport Climbing will be participating in recognized as a major sport,” adds Debra Gawrych, IFSC the Games of Tokyo,” says IFSC President Marco Scolaris. Secretary General. “The Olympics have been our dream for quite some time, and now the hard work has finally paid off. We would like to thank the IOC for extending a truly unique opportunity to our The Journey Continues sport.” Although the road to official approval has concluded, the In December of 2014, the IOC unanimously approved the work is far from finished. Many steps must be taken to progressive Olympic Agenda 2020 in its entirety, which prepare for the upcoming Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. proposed additional events for Tokyo 2020. After eight OFFICIAL PRESSRELEA OFFICIAL events were shortlisted, the IFSC and the Japanese The IFSC will immediately begin working on the technical 2016 Mountaineering Association presented their bid in Tokyo in aspects of the Olympic Sport Climbing competitions. The WEDNESDAY selection process will be drafted and presented on March 11, 03rd August of 2015. In June, the Executive Board of the IOC AUGUST approved a package containing five of these events to be 2017, at the IFSC Plenary Assembly in Quebec City. th submitted for approval at the 129 IOC Session: The IOC Session in Rio also announced today the proposed baseball/softball, karate, skateboarding, sport climbing and venues for the Tokyo 2020 Additional Events. Although the surfing. IOC Executive Board will not make a final decision until Today, the IOC Session in Rio approved all five additional December, the proposed venue for Sport Climbing events for Tokyo 2020. After much anticipation and hard competitions is in the “Aomi,” Koto Ward, within the “Odaiba work, the Olympics dream has finally come true for Sport Area” of the Tokyo Metropolis. In the meantime, the IFSC will Climbing. work closely with the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games Organizing Committee and the IOC to finalize venue and infrastructure details, in order to offer the best of Sport Climbing in Tokyo. Shared Values “We have reached the final hold of our unbelievable climb, but Sport Climbing embodies core values of the Olympics another climb awaits us. Our team is committed to preparing Movement. It is an exciting, healthy and affordable sport Sport Climbing for the Olympic Games, and over the next four which can be practiced on all five continents. Women and years we will continue to work with the IOC to do so,” youth are well represented, and persons with disabilities concludes Scolaris. .